【推荐2】As I enter my 40s, I’ve noticed many of my parents’ generation think social networking is something they are simply unable to understand. They fear that, should they try, they will somehow get it wrong; they will say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing or behave in a way that causes embarrassment(尴尬). But here’s the first secret of social media: Everyone feels this way.

I recently met a young actor who was complaining that her work demands that she join Microblog, but she always feels like she doesn’t have anything smart to say. It’s the same resistance (抵制)I hear from the older generation, who, however, have somehow believed that age is the barrier(障碍), rather than the differences of personal taste.

Here’s the second secret of social media: everybody uses it for more or less the same reasons. Older generations often sign up to stay in touch with children and relatives. We talk about this kind of communication like it’s some old-fashioned activity, but it is exactly why younger people use social media. The truth is that most people use social media to gently keep an eye on one another, to see how those they care about are doing without needing to ring them up on the phone every night.

And this is the last secret of social media: everyone gets to use them in their own way. Newcomers—younger and older—who worry about “getting it right” are thinking that there’s a right way to get them. But actually there isn’t. Personally, I talk a lot on Microblog. And some people post nothing and they use social media every day as readers. Social media companies would rather see people decorating their networks with pictures and posts, but there’s no rule against being a fly on the wall. It’s also a fine way to get involved.

We’re quick to forget that the web wasn’t invented by 13-year-olds; it was created by today’s seniors. I’d never try forcing those with no interest in social networks to use Microblog. But don’t let the talk of age divides put you off. There’s nothing to stop the older generation from joining in the network their own generation created.

1. What’s the author’s purpose of writing this passage?

A．To share with us his personal experience using social media.

B．To free the old generation from fearing using social media.

C．To explain why the old generation don’t use social media.

D．To tell us a few secrets of social media that he discovered.

2. The expression “a fly on the wall” in the 4 ^th paragraph refers to _________.

A．people who prefer reading online books

B．people who simply observe others’ posts

C．people who cause trouble to others

D．people who post many fancy pictures

3. According to the author, which is a reason for old people’s fear using social media?

A．They have no particular interest in social networking.

B．They prefer staying in touch with relatives in real life.

C．They believe they may be trapped in embarrassing situations.

D．They have no idea which contents to post online.

4. Which of the following may best describe the structure of this passage?

A．	B．
C．	D．

【推荐3】What is funny? The short answer is: Who knows? The joke that causes a burst of laughter from one listener might be met with a puzzled look from another.
In general, you should avoid jokes at any business or social gathering where there are more than two people in your conversational group. If there are only two people — and they consist of you and your best friend — go ahead and tell it.
Admittedly, a few people possess a perfect sense of timing, appropriateness, and joke delivery. You are probably not one of them. You might be quite funny and have many great jokes. But there’s a place for jokes — over dinner with family, hiking with friends, but business or social affairs with colleagues and acquaintances (熟人) are not it. It takes a whole other level of joke-telling ability to put a joke into the more formal conversations.
The best jokes come into the conversation so that by the time listeners realize a joke is in progress, the punchline that produces humour is being delivered — to their surprise and delight.
Jokes don’t translate well when you’re in a group with mixed backgrounds: those whose first language is not English, those who might not understand a special term or an “in” expression, young people who wouldn’t catch a reference to some bit of culture familiar to older people — and vice versa (反之亦然).
Never joke about another person in the group — about their name, habits, hometown, profession, appearance, or past. It’s not a question of whether the joke is cheery or appropriate. No one enjoys being singled out this way. When you are the subject of the joke, the laughter doesn’t feel good no matter how hard you try to tell yourself they’re not laughing at you. Because that’s what it feels like.
What do you say if you realize your joke upset someone? Apologize as briefly and as sincerely as you can, and hope that someone changes the subject. Try saying: “I’m sorry. I should have known better” or “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
What do you do if people don’t get your joke or don’t appear to find it as funny as you do? First, do not retell it, only louder this time, hoping the point of the joke will be seen. Second, don’t try to push people to get it. People do not like people whose jokes they don’t understand. They feel stupid and need to blame someone. If you want to leave with the goodwill of your listeners, say something to make them feel less foolish. You could say: “I don’t know why I tell jokes when I’m so poor at it.”
The world needs laughter, and good humour is a success wherever it goes, so this caveat (告诫) about joke-telling is not meant to dampen high spirits or to advocate dull conversation. If you’re a gifted story-teller and you know people love your jokes, go for it. We need your kind. The rest of us will save our jokes for family and close friends.
1. According to the passage, it might be appropriate for you to tell a joke at a business or social gathering if ______.

A．the joke is well chosen

B．you have complete confidence in your listeners’ sense of humor

C．only you and your best friend are involved in the conversation

D．the audience consists of your colleagues and acquaintances

2. Why do some jokes fail to work?

A．Because the punchline is too long to catch.

B．Because the joke-teller uses wrong words and expressions.

C．Because the joke-teller and listeners don’t share the same background knowledge.

D．Because the jokes are not properly translated into the listeners’ native language.

3. How will people feel when they are joked about?

A．They will feel happy if the joke is a pleasant one.

B．They will be upset no matter what kind of joke it is.

C．They will enjoy the joke when realizing that people are not laughing at them.

D．They will panic because it makes them the center of attention.

4. When people do not understand a joke they hear, they tend to ______.

A．believe it’s the joke-teller’s fault	B．get someone to retell the joke
C．ask for explanation	D．say something foolish

5. Which of the following best describes the writer’s opinion on joke-telling?

A．Nobody knows what makes a joke funny.

B．We should not tell jokes unless we are asked to do so.

C．Joke-telling is a very complex thing.

D．Jokes should be told only to friends and family members.

【推荐1】Every March, the country celebrates the accomplishments of women in American history. Even though these accomplishments go back a long way, most schools didn’t start focusing on women pioneers and their achievements until recently. Today, most colleges offer classes in women’s history and most schools teach kids about the many contributions women have made to our country.

On March 19, 1911，a German woman named Clara Zetkin organized the very first International Women’s Day. Inspired by American working women, the annual event took on the causes of peace and women’s rights. In the 1960s, the women's movement caused women to wonder why they weren’t included in the history books.

By the 1970s, more female historians began to look back at the contributions of women in history. In 1978，a California school district started Women’s History Week to promote the teaching of women’s history. School officials picked the week of March 8 to include International Women's Day. It was so popular that, in 1981, Congress passed a law making the week a celebration for the entire country. The concept of studying women's history continued to grow in popularity. In 1987, a group of women asked Congress to amplify the celebration. That same year, Congress declared the entire month of March National Women's History Months

Today, schools and communities across the country celebrate the month with special lessons and activities designed to teach the ways women have helped shape the U.S. The women who have worked hard to make women’s History Month a reality would like to see women’s history all year, not just every March. In 1996, the National Women’s History Museum was founded. It’s a non-profit organization devoted to preserving and celebrating the various contributions of women in history. The organization is working with Congress to open a permanent museum site in Washington, D. C.

1. What does the first paragraph imply?

A．Women's achievements used to be ignored in America.

B．More women pioneers are needed in America.

C．Celebrating women's achievements has a long history in America.

D．Few American schools pay attention to women s contributions.

2. According to the text, International Women’s Day ________.

A．is held every second year

B．has a history of over a century

C．was started by an American

D．was a product of women's movement

3. Which of the following words can replace the underlined word “amplify” in Paragraph 3?

A．organize	B．support
C．expand	D．protect

4. What can we know about the National Women’s History Museum from the text?

A．It was set up less than two decades ago.

B．It focuses on women’s historic contributions.

C．It is an organization aimed at making profits.

D．It has a permanent site in Washington, D. C.

【推荐2】Each country has its own secret to happiness, If "pyt", which closely means “don't worry about it and stuff happens", explains a relaxed attitude of Danish people, "niksen" will reveal how Dutch people combat （对抗）stress and burnout in a fast-paced lifestyle.

The term "niksen" origins from the Dutch word "niks", which refers to "nothing'', Mindfulness, another welcome subject to help people have a peaceful mind. But unlike mindfulness, niksen is not about concentrating on the present moment. It's about letting yourself do nothing, and allowing your mind to run free without expectation.

In practice, this means "hanging around, looking at your surroundings, or listening to music as long as it's   without purpose” according to Time Magazine.

Niksen sounds contrary to the advice we were all given as kids. Nowadays, we're constantly told to stay busy and work harder than everyone else. But niksen opposes that mentality( 心态). It offers the chance to "deliciously do nothing", as Carolien Hamming, a coach at CSR Centrum, an organization devoted to fighting stress and burnout in the Netherlands, told Time.

She thinks that niksen is essential to staying healthy, since it’s a form of mental relaxation and healing. Just as a wild animal lies in wait for their prey, niksen seems to be a natural state of being.

For some people, niksen can mean more than just stress reduction. It's also a means to imagine new ideas or plans. As an early adopter（尝试者）of niksen, Jenny Holden, a communications expert in the UK, adds it to her daily lunch breaks. “Within 10 minutes of doing nothing - just staring and listening to myself - my head began to clear and sort out my work and home to-do lists,” she told the MetroUK.

Above all, niksen is a suggestion for balancing work and rest. As Dutch-bom writer Ogla Mecking wrote in US-based Whoolly Magazine, niksen is the "thorough enjoyment of life’s pauses".

Everyone is encouraged to embrace your niksen moments. They revitalize （使恢复元气） you and give you the strength needed to face everyday challenges.

1. What does niksen means?

A．Living in the moment.

B．Leading a healthy lifestyle.

C．Being free and doing nothing.

D．Using your wildest imagination.

2. Holden’s example is to show ____.

A．how niksen improves one's mental health

B．niksen is closely related to stress reduction

C．niksen can shorten the distance between people

D．niksen helps people come up with new thoughts

3. The underlined word "thorough" is closest in meaning to _______.

A．long	B．full
C．unexpected	D．quiet

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The introduction to a special Dutch lifestyle.

B．Suggestions on how to balance work and rest.

C．The importance of allowing time to pause life.

D．An explanation of some Danish words about life attitudes.

5. From the passage, we can know that _______.

A．people can restrengthen themselves to face challenges by niksen

B．a wild animal usually lies in wait for their prey just as niksen advices

C．Danish people are stressful and tired because of their special lifestyle

D．Carolien Hamming thinks niksen is the most important way to keep fit